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gǎi

to change

Usage note

”表示把原来的东西或做法变成新的样子,比如正错误或变计划。

“Gǎi” biǎoshì bǎ yuánlái de dōngxi huò zuòfǎ biàn chéng xīn de yàngzi, bǐrú gǎizhèng cuòwù huò gǎibiàn jìhuà.

“改” means to make something different from how it was before, often used when fixing a mistake or adjusting a plan.

Context note

当你想让一件事变得不一样时,就可以用“”这个字。它常常用在日常生活里,比如变主意、正错误。

Dāng nǐ xiǎng ràng yī jiàn shì biàn de bù yī yàng shí, jiù kě yǐ yòng “gǎi” zhè ge zì. Tā cháng cháng yòng zài rì cháng shēng huó lǐ, bǐ rú gǎi biàn zhǔ yì, gǎi zhèng cuò wù.

This word is used when you want to make something different. It often appears in daily life situations, such as changing your mind or correcting a mistake.

5 examples

把时间一下。
bǎ shí jiān gǎi yí xià。
Change the time a bit.
作业可以
zuò yè kě yǐ gǎi yi gǎi。
You can change the homework a little.
这个计划需要一下。
zhè ge jì huà xū yào gǎi yí xià。
This plan needs to be changed a bit.
衣服的颜色要一下。
yī fu de yán sè yào gǎi yí xià。
The color of the clothes needs to be changed.
明天的活动可以
míng tiān de huó dòng kě yǐ gǎi yi gǎi。
Tomorrow's activities can be changed a little.

5 mini stories

小明今天迟到了,他决定把时间一下。
xiǎo míng jīn tiān chí dào le, tā jué dìng bǎ shí jiān gǎi yí xià。
Xiaoming was late today, so he decided to change the time.
老师让小红作业,因为有些地方需要进。
lǎo shī ràng xiǎo hóng gǎi yi gǎi zuò yè, yīn wèi yǒu xiē dì fāng xū yào gǎi jìn。
The teacher asked Xiaohong to change her homework a bit because some parts needed improvement.
妈妈说这个计划需要一下,才能更好地完成任务。
mā ma shuō zhè ge jì huà xū yào gǎi yí xià, cái néng gèng hǎo dì wán chéng rèn wu。
Mom said this plan needs to be changed a bit so that it can better complete the task.
小华的衣服颜色太暗了,他决定
xiǎo huá de yī fu yán sè tài àn le, tā jué dìng gǎi yi gǎi。
Xiaohua's clothes were too dark, so he decided to change the color.
明天的活动可以,让大家都更开心。
míng tiān de huó dòng kě yǐ gǎi yi gǎi, ràng dà jiā dōu gèng kāi xīn。
Tomorrow's activities can be changed a little to make everyone happier.

Mini dialogue

改作业

A
老师,我好了作业。
Lǎoshī, wǒ gǎi hǎo le zuòyè.
Teacher, I have corrected my homework.
B
很好,下次记得先错字。
Hěn hǎo, xiàcì jìde xiān gǎi cuòzì.
Very good, next time remember to correct the wrong characters first.

改主意

A
你想吃苹果吗?
Nǐ xiǎng chī píngguǒ ma?
Do you want to eat an apple?
B
主意了,想吃香蕉。
Wǒ gǎi zhǔyì le, xiǎng chī xiāngjiāo.
I changed my mind; I want to eat a banana.

Related words and contrasts

similar
biàn
to change

A common single-character synonym, often used together as 改变.

opposite
保持
bǎochí
to keep; to maintain

To stay the same, the opposite of changing.

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